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3D Gun printer becomes licensed fire arm manufacturer

Defense Distributed, the Austin, Texas, based 3D gun printing group, has applied for and received a federal license to manufacture fire arms. No matter how you feel about guns I believe this development clearly illustrates the potentially disruptive power of 3D printing to not only established manufacturing paradigms but also to the ability of governments to regulate and control. One of the pillars of the federal government power is the ability to regulate interstate commerce – that is the shipping of goods from one state to another. But if I can manufacture any item – be it a gun or say an ear – does the federal government have the power to regulate these emerging practices? One can almost be assured that 3D printing will upend the logistics of traditional manufacturing – why build a car and ship it hundreds or thousands of miles when you can print it and drive it off the lot – that may be a somewhat fanciful example at this point but probably not in a too distant future. Read more about Defense Distributed here from Ars Technica.